Robert Margouleff on Creating The World’s Greatest Synthesizer and Producing Stevie Wonder’s Greatest Albums
In his latest video, synthesist & composer Anthony Marinelli interviews synthesist Robert Margouleff, who pioneered bringing synthesis to popular music and helped create one of the most iconic synthesizers of all time and arguably the greatest synthesizer of its day, T.O.N.T.O. (The Original New Timbral Orchestra).With his partner Malcolm Cecil, Margouleff shaped the sound of the ’70s and ’80s, with albums like Zero Time; productions with Stevie Wonder, including Innervisions, Fulfillingness‘ First Finale, and Songs in the Key of Life; production of DEVO; and work with artists like Jeff Beck, Depeche Mode, Weather Report, Stephen Stills, the Doobie Brothers, Quincy Jones and others.
It is another must-see interview from Marinelli, offering first-person insight into the history of electronic music.
Topics covered:
00:00 – About Robert Margouleff
02:12 – Discovering the Moog synthesizer
06:59 – Mark Mothersbaugh Shout Out
07:17 – Early T.O.N.T.O
19:14 – Meeting Stevie Wonder
23:59 – Greg Phillinganes Shout Out
24:56 – Cranking Sounds With Stevie
30:37 – Steve Porcaro Shout Out
31:08 – Building T.O.N.T.O
44:07 – Mike Dean Shout Out
44:43 – Building a studio in Los Angeles
55:22 – “Superstition” & Civil Rights
01:04:54 – How we recorded Stevie
01:15:27 – Music & Sounds Today
